31 days || eighteen: a lesson in celebration.

I spent this past Saturday night in the company of teenagers, dancing the night away, refilling food trays, taking pictures, and generally merry-making on behalf of my little fuzzy, who turned 18 last week.

Here’s the thing: I cannot dance. So when my cousin mentioned her desire to have a raucous rainbow dance party (like, oh, someone else I know), I got a little nervous for her.

Because sometimes the celebration we want to have isn’t the celebration we can have.

You can’t have a raucous dance party if all of your friends are rhythmically-challenged. (Hence my own 25th birthday party quickly becoming a classy dinner party instead.)

But my cousin was adamant, and because my family is in the business of making things happen, we got to work.

And you know what?

Turns out, sometimes the celebration you want to have is exactly the celebration you can have.

It just might take a little work, a lot of determination, and an imagination big enough to conquer a small budget.

(Good music and a DJ willing to make a fool of himself are helpful as well. Good thing my husband fit the bill.)

I set out on Saturday night to teach my cousin a lesson in celebration, in what it means to celebrate every moment, every year we’re given.

She wound up teaching me instead.

The lesson? Don’t be afraid to celebrate the way you want to. Most people -- the ones that love you -- will happily come along for the ride.